The Hunt
by Sausage Link
Summary: Hey this is the first chapter of the book I'm writing so I hope you enjoy it! XD


***Hey this is the first chapter of the book I'm writing and it's probably the only chapter I'll add. I just wanna know how it is. Please comment your opinion so I know if I should continue. and who knows I might add more. XD***

Chapter 1

Run.

I must keep running.

They are closing in.

I can hear them breathing heavily.

They are on the hunt.

They want revenge.

I'm out of arrows, my sword is bent, and my horse is nowhere to be found. Alindia, the next village to the north, is only an hour away… on horseback. It's a good thing that I haven't, don't, and won't need to rest. Ever.

The beasts are slowing down. Have I finally worn them out? I stop and look back. Even from this distance I can see their large muscular bodies doubled over in exhaustion. Hopefully they will give up and turn back, but I don't want to take any chances. I turn and keep running north towards Alindia. I might just escape their grasp yet.

I can see the torchlight now. Its glow can even be seen from the high hills of Carenia, the home of the seven high kings of the south. I'm running over the vast plains of Rioan, which fill the void between Carenia and Alindia. The grasses are tall here and large holes hide amidst the rocks. The light of the full moon guides me as I dodge large boulders and leap over holes twenty feet across. A feat that nobody but my kind could accomplish without the aid of tools. All of a sudden a mighty roar makes me stop dead in my tracks. I turn my head to the west. Three large shadowy forms barrel towards me at high speed. They have caught my scent. But how could they have caught up with me? I have been running at a steady speed for almost an hour now. Unless my previous trackers were only younglings. The younglings tire quicker than the adults. The adults can run almost a full day. The adults are also bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter. But not smart enough. I turn and run. Another roar pierces my eardrums. They have seen me and are determined to catch me. If they do, I will pay dearly.

I'm almost to the village. If I can just get inside the gate, I will be safe. My pursuers are forbidden from entering Alindia due to a pact long ago, but I won't explain now. I turn my head to see if they are any closer. That was my mistake.

I see them only about two-hundred yards behind me. I turn my head to the front again only to see a hole at least thirty feet across in front of me. I see it too late. I fall in. I can sense that it's about fifty feet deep. If I was a regular mortal, I'd become a grease spot at the bottom. But I'm not a regular mortal.

I hit the bottom on my feet. I'm still standing with no pain and no injuries. I expect to see only a wall of dirt in front of me, but instead I see a long stone tunnel. I have no choice but to run down the tunnel as fast as my legs can carry me. I make it about a hundred yards when I hear a loud _thump_. Then another follows. Then another. My pursuers have found me.

I turn to assess their injuries, but sadly enough, there are none. I back slowly down the tunnel away from them, sure to not make a single sound. If I alert them, then I am done for. They growl at each other in a tongue that I know only as well as my own. "She will pay for her crimes," the leader growls. The other two growl in agreement. They are referring to me. They then speak of ways they will make me pay, but I dare not describe them. Even I am going to have nightmares about it… if I even live that long. I have made it about fifty more yards down the tunnel when I see them rise and start barreling towards me. I don't care about them hearing me now. I turn and run as fast as I can down the tunnel, not even knowing what will be at the end. I only make it about another hundred yards when the first one pounces on me, pushing me down onto my face. We roll. I can feel its razor sharp claws digging into my back. We stop rolling. It is on top of me pinning me to the ground. I kick it off of me with all my might. I stand and my hand automatically reaches for my quiver, only to grasp nothing but air. The beast rises and lunges at me. Out of sheer desperation, I grasp my bow and hit the beast as hard as I can. That's when the other two appear. The first pounces and I dodge. The second runs straight for my legs. I leap over it with ease, but land clumsily. While I try to regain my balance, the leader comes from behind and pushes me onto the ground, flat on my face. I roll onto my back to see the three beasts closing in on me, either for the kill or to capture me.

This is the first time that I have truly seen the beasts up close. They resemble wolves, but these are much larger and walk on their hind legs. Their coarse fur is black and almost seems to melt into the darkness around it. Their eyes are red and glowing with hatred. Their sharp fangs are longer than my hand. None of them carry weapons; they only have their long, sharp claws. But as I look closely, I notice something strange about them. There's a dark liquid dripping off of them. It's not blood. It's poison. I've been poisoned. My head starts spinning just thinking about it. Looking at my situation, I have less than a minute to live. I have given up all hope.

As the largest beast leans in over me for the kill, a spear sprouts from his chest. He falls next to me. The other two beasts turn and look down the tunnel in the direction of the launcher only to be shot with arrows. They both collapse onto the ground. I stare down the tunnel in disbelief. A tall man-like silhouette materializes out of the gloom. That is the last thing I see before my world goes black.


End file.
